Jan. 7, 2013
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Editor’s Note: The following first appeared in the University of Iowa’s Hawk Talk Daily, an e-newsletter that offers a daily look at the Iowa Hawkeyes, delivered free each morning to thousands of fans of the Hawkeyes worldwide.
IOWA CITY, Iowa — Nick Moore is one of five University of Iowa wrestlers to notch two victories during Big Ten Conference duals against Ohio State and Purdue over the weekend.
The 165-pound sophomore used a first-period takedown, an escape, and riding time to defeat Ohio State’s Mark Martin, 4-2, on Friday on Mediacom Mat inside Carver-Hawkeye Arena. Two days later he put his foot on the gas with five takedowns — the final one coming with a second left — to win by 12-4 major decision against Purdue’s Pat Robinson.
“It’s not necessarily looking at the undefeated aspect, but mostly from a growth aspect, and I think from my Ohio State match to (Sunday) I came along as far as opening up,” Moore said. “I still have to open up a little more; I can feel it out there where shots are open and I kind of hold back. I need to do a better job of firing those shots off.”
Moore improved to 8-2 on the season. In the process he earned praise from UI head coach Tom Brands.
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“It’s not necessarily looking at the undefeated aspect, but mostly from a growth aspect, and I think from my Ohio State match to (Sunday) I came along as far as opening up. I still have to open up a little more; I can feel it out there where shots are open and I kind of hold back. I need to do a better job of firing those shots off.”
Nick Moore
UI 165-pound wrestler |
“Good job by Nick Moore. If you’re going to get excited about a match, I would get excited about his match,” Brands said. “He kept attacking and I think that’s the difference for Nick Moore. He is starting to feel better in his matches as well. There wasn’t a lot of time left, and he goes right back on his attacks, so that’s what we want.
“I like seeing energy. It’s not how many takedowns (Moore) got, it’s that he had to have a takedown at the end to get a major, and he got the major decision.”
Moore competes in the Hawkeye lineup between No. 1-ranked Derek St. John at 157 pounds and high-scoring fan favorite Mike Evans at 174. Silently, Moore is building wins and confidence.
“I have a good team and I have a great situation where I don’t have to look very far to get good partners,” Moore said. “They help me and I try to push them, so I hope it’s a two-way street.”
The four weight classes from 157 to 184 for Iowa went 8-0 against Ohio State and Purdue and have a combined record of 40-3 this season. Moore started the season with six straight wins, then lost back-to-back decisions to No. 12 Cory Lear of Bucknell (5-2) and Mark Lewandowski of Buffalo (8-3) on the east coast road trip in mid-December.
“I have to keep listening to my coaches; they are saying the same things I am saying now: getting to my shots and getting to them often,” Moore said. “It’s bigger than just saying that, I have to go out there and do it.”
Moore’s improvement, according to Brands, coincides with demonstrating seven minutes of intensity.
“In matches before break, he was hanging his hands and there was nothing happening,” Brands said. “Now there is something happening, either snapping-and-moving, or if guys snap him, he’s following it back into a leg. His feet are moving better, and he has more intensity overall.”
The next challenge for Moore will be in the form of No. 3-ranked Tyler Caldwell of Oklahoma State (15-3). Iowa takes on the No. 2 Cowboys on Sunday, Jan. 13, in Stillwater, Okla.